Royal Brunei Armed Forces

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The Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) use a wide range of foreign equipment, with a large percentage originating from the United Kingdom, France/Europe and the United States. Brunei's defence speding $343 million (5.1% of GDP) is quite considerable for such a small state. The Brunei Army is the largest of the armed services, with a relatively small airforce and navy. The Royal Brunei Police are also included as a branch of the armed services. The Bruneian military lacks any recent combat experience or overseas deployments.

The Army use the Land Rover Defender and Bedford trucks. French-built APC's such as the Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé and British FV101 Scorpion light tanks are also used. The L118 Light Gun is also in use. Currently the standard infrantry rifle of the RBAF is the M-16.

The Royal Brunei Air Force is a small, mainly helicopter-based force which is tasked with supporting the other branches of the armed services and defending Bruneian air space. The Air Force consists of a range of helicopters, including the UH-1 and the UH-60 Black Hawk. Its fixed-wing inventory is limited to around 4 Pilatus PC-7 training aircraft and CN-235 transport aircraft. There have been plans to secure a fighter capability by purchasing several BAe Hawk aircraft, but these plans have been delayed on several occasions.

The Royal Brunei Navy is a small coastal defence force tasked with patrolling Bruneian waters and defending the offshore oil industry. It is currently undergoing a large-scale modernisation, with the upgrading of the Muara Naval Base and the purchase of 3 British-built Corvettes. However these have not been delivered from BAE Systems in Scotstoun due to Bruneian claims that they fail to meet their requirements. This is seen as a tempoary delay until the modernisation of existing naval facilities is complete and can support such modern vessels. In the meantime these advanced warships remain in Scotland at their builders yard on the Clyde. These vessels could be used to enforce Brunei's claim to its enlarged territorial waters which include the Spratly Islands.

A battalion from the British Army's Royal Gurkha Rifles is still stationed in Brunei under agreement with the Sultan to protect the oil fields in the West of the country and assist domestic Bruneian forces in the event of an emergency. Other units from the British Army are present to support and train the Brunei Army. After the handover ceremony of Hong Kong in 1997, the garrison in Seria is the only remaining British military base in the Far East and is home to a jungle warfare training centre and 7th Flight, Army Air Corps.

Singapore also maintains a training establishment in Brunei, known as the Sungai Akar Camp and operates support helicopters.

Military branches: Land Forces, Navy, Air Force, Royal Brunei Police

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 104,447 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 60,395 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 2,957 (2000 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $343 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.1% (FY98)